Thomas Bixby Professor Dietel-McLaughlin Multi-media Writing and Rhetoric 28 February 2014 The Social Network Directed by David

Fincher, The Social Network is an artistic narration of the formation of Facebook. The film, centered on Mark Zuckerberg, details the specifics of Facebooks development from the initial concept to the sites remarkable success. The film uses the back drop of this narrative to analyze the driving forces behind the actions of the three main characters in their pursuit of success. Fueled by a desire for elevated class and social recognition, Mark Zuckerberg ignites a social inferno. Eduardo Saverin, driven by a desire to establish and maintain close relationships, and Sean Parker, motivated by self-indulgence and fame, help mark fan the flames. The Social Network offers an insightful look into the effects of each characters chosen path to success. These effects are not limited to the individual himself but extend to those around him. This analysis is done primarily through a series of parallel scenes whose impact is augmented by the content which bridges the gap between scenes. These parallel scenes consist of the first contact the audience has with each of the three main characters, as well as the final visual contact the audience has with each. The clear rhetoric of these parallel scenes highlights the negatives and positives each characters draws from his source of motivation, and in the end identifies Eduardos pursuit of intimate social interaction as the ideal path to happiness. When Mark first enters the film he does so with merely his voice. Before any characters or settings have been shown Marks voice can be heard talking over the sounds of what the audience soon learns is a bar. Mark is shown in the dimly lit bar sitting at a two person table

engaged in neo-intimate conversation. The bar is crowded and Mark and Erica must lean towards each other to be heard. Mark is instantly characterized through his dominance of the conversation and his choice of subject matter. His intense concern with finals clubs and the doors they open indicates his ambition and desire for success. The offense he takes when Erica suggests the finals club which is easiest to gain access to as Marks best option shows that he is concerned with social status and recognition. The dim atmosphere of the bar seems indicative of a negative occurrence. Mark, in his nondescript sweatshirt, seems to almost blend with the greyblack background; he is just a part of the crowd, and he hates it. All of this is cleverly coordinated rhetoric to make it apparent to the audience that Mark is not satisfied with his undistinguished place in society and is set on rectifying that fact. Mark is left by himself at the table after he insults Erica one too many times. At this point Mark rises from the table and slow, sad, music begins to play as he leaves the bar. This is when the audience first gains an idea of how alone Mark is in the world. He is shown running back to his dorm alone, moving past people walking the opposite direction; people headed out for night. Mark moves at a different pace than the rest of the world and in a different direction, he is entirely alone. As indicated by his conversation in the bar he feels as though the key to happiness and social acceptance is social status and recognition. The final scene in which the audience encounters Mark acts as a bookend to his personal development. Through the course of the movie Mark has climbed the rungs of the ladder to success in pajama pants and flip flops. This is the first scene in which Mark is shown wearing a shirt and tie. This is meant to show that he has made it to the top at last. In contrast to the small table in a full bar at which Mark is introduced, the final scene has Mark sitting alone at a large table in an empty room. The only thing with him is his computer. This scene is entirely opposite

of the one in which Mark is introduced. He has achieved all of the fame and recognition he sought in the first scene. He has left the dim bar and now sits in a room full of natural light. One would thing that after exceeding even his own lofty expectations of success and social recognition Mark would be happy. Yet at his highest point of social status and success Mark is unhappy; a point which is driven home by a critical reframing of him at the table. Lancioni, in her Rhetoric of the Frame, discusses functionality of reframing in providing the more complex analysis, which viewers need to thoroughly dissect the meaning of an image (106). The reframing leaves the audience with a close up of Marks face. The words Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in the world read on the screen. The words, however, do not match the image with which they are presented. Mark looks entirely forlorn despite the fact that the words on the screen indicate that he has achieved everything he aspired to achieve at the beginning of the movie. But he is alone at the big table, he has burnt all bridges with those he cared about. The path to recognition does not bring happiness to those who follow it. . Eduardo, like mark, is introduced in a dark setting. He is alone walking to meet Mark and inquire as to his emotional wellbeing following his breakup with Erica. The first words out of Eduardos mouth are ones of concern for Mark. In response Mark asks Eduardo for an algorithm he needs to complete the programming project he is working on. This exchange captures the one-sided nature of Mark and Eduardos relationship. Eduardo identifies Mark as his best friend yet all he does is give of himself emotionally and financially without any reciprocation from Mark. In both the first and final scenes in which the audience he is shown standing while Mark sits at a computer. This illustrates Eduardo and Marks separation as well as Marks preference for his computer over his best friend. In the end of the film Eduardo turns his back on Mark and walks away from him in a well-lit room full of people. Unlike the parallel

scenes bookending Marks personal development, Eduardos final scene is one of triumph as he finally stands up for himself and acknowledges the fact that Mark has been a poor friend. Eduardo suffers during the film for his self-giving personality but in the end he learns to assert himself. Through it all Eduardo holds firm to his belief in those he is close to and at the conclusion of the movie, after all of the social drama and lawsuits, Eduardo gets what he wanted. The last word the audience is offered concerning Eduardos situation when the movie concludes flashes across the screen just before the credits. It states that Eduardos name was returned to the Facebook figurehead. This is meant to show that Eduardo was never after the money but was concerned, rather, with his best friend acknowledging him for his involvement. Sean Parker is introduced in bed with a coed in the natural light of an early morning. This is indicative of Seans pursuit of self-indulgence. He leaves the film making a phone call from a dim police station after being arrested partying with underage college students, this is a consequence for his indulgent lifestyle. He is motivated by stroking his ego and having a good time. Throughout the film Sean is pictured partying and indulging in multiple substances aimed at countering the effects of sobriety. The music that plays behind scenes in which Sean is depicted tends to be upbeat party music which aids in adding to his character. He is never show doing work. Even when he is pictured in the workplace with Mark he never offers anything but his words. The parallel scenes of Seans entrance to the film and his undignified entrance have a rather short period of time between them relative to those of Mark or Eduardo. This is meant to illustrate the fleeting satisfaction gleaned from a lifestyle like the one Sean pursues. The use of these parallel scenes acts as a clean way in which to illustrate the beginning and ultimate stages of the personal development of each main character. As Herrick discusses in his Overview of Rhetoric, one of the most important aspects of creating a persuasive rhetorical

piece is deciding how the main points will be arranged to their best effect (16). The decision to use this pattern of related scenes masterfully captures the message behind the obvious narrative of the film. The pursuit of success based solely on thoughts of self-benefit will not result in true satisfaction. As illustrated by the selfish pursuits of both Mark and Sean. Eduardo is the only person in the end of the film who gets what he wants. Mark was driven by a desire for recognition, but he didnt realize that the only people he truly wanted recognition from were those closest to him. This becomes clear in the final moments of the movie as Mark sits alone clicking wistfully at the friend request button of his own website hoping to rebuild the bridges he burnt with Erica. Sean wanted to live a carefree life of self-indulgence and ride the gravy train conducted by Mark. In the end the blinders of his own personal enjoyment lead him down a path that results in his removal from company proceedings and ends his friendship with Mark. Both Mark and Sean pursued selfish ends and were met with supreme dissatisfaction in the end. They lived lives of fantasy and enjoyment for a time but at the conclusion of the film both of them are entirely alone and unhappy. Eduardo on the other hand spends the entire movie focusing on others over himself and attempting to build relationships rather than financial gain. He is the only one rewarded with what he wants at the end of the movie. This makes it clear that through this rhetorical sub-narrative the film is meant to convey the importance of maintaining relationships and staying grounded on the climb to success.